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January 27 While Pat's away, Vangie will play???Has anyone ever fought the everyone's gone and it would be sooooo easy to eat something not so healthy. I say not so healthy because there are things that when eaten in excess are bad for you. It has been over a month since my last visit to Runza, my favorite fast food burger place. My son also happens to work there... that could be why I like to go there :o) Well, today Pat went back to work, he will be gone at least 36 hours....plenty of time for me to stray! I found myself today looking for something to satisfy my need to eat... I was bouncing between a blizzard, going to get a "value" meal at Runza, or baking something.... my passion... anything baked!!! YUMMY Well, after looking, searching, and then feeling guilty for even thinking of doing something detrimental to my weight loss, I chose a better option, a sugar free hot cocoa. It hit the spot! It did not increase my calorie intake and in the end while I was sipping on it and watching a movie I felt as though I had won a battle. One in many to come, mind you, but a battle none the less. So, I had to blog about it.... kind of patting myself on the back. Yeah me! It seems when Pat goes off to work, my mind starts wandering to unhealthy habits, a true fight within myself to not give in. I am not saying I will not go out to eat at a fast food place, ever again. I am saying that if I choose to do that I will have to plan for it. Since I had (not so good ) Mexican food yesterday, it is probably not a good idea to over indulge again this week. My elliptical said yesterday that I burned over 650 calories during my workout.... AMAZING. I know I cannot count on the bike to be accurate but something about getting that number higher with each workout. It is a motivational thing. Well, back to my hot cocoa, movie, and homework! January 26 Long time, no blogIt has been a week since I posted, Pat has been online filling in our workouts... updating the site! Thank heavens he keeps everyone informed! Well, I left off with Trevor's birthday supper. In all honesty, I felt I did pretty good! I stayed away from the bread, had a healthy burger with all the fixins and fat free cheese, it was pretty darn good! I had one scoop sugar free ice cream, which was actually REALLY good! I also had a small piece of cake. Before I would have had a huge bowl of ice cream with a huge piece of cake, so slowly but surely I am learning! I kind of waned on working out this past week. I took Sunday off, decided I was too tired on Monday night after working all day and class, so I decided I would wake up early Tuesday morning to get the workout done early rather than later! I like working out in the morning but some days I would prefer to sleep in, LOL. I got up Wednesday and did 60 minutes on the elliptical, had planned on working out after class with Pat doing some strength training, I was extremely tired so I did nothing that night. Are you getting the picture that I am making excuses????? Thursday decided what was the point and I would work out in the evening... which I didn't do. Heck... I am not doing well, LOL. So, last night my husband was my motivator. He told me at 9pm that I did not workout so I had to get at least 30 mins of cardio... so he pulled me off the bed and down to the elliptical I went. Instead of 30 minutes I did 60 mins on Level 7, which I had not EVER done. I was glad when it was over, but proud that I had been motivated to get it done!!!! Pat told me I would appreciate the push when I weighed in today at Weight Watchers and I did appreciate it!! I was down another pound. I felt like had I exercised all my days I would have done better on the scale, but 1 pound is definitely moving in the right direction. The problem with weight loss is it is so slow  I find myself wondering if I will ever make it to a healthy weight. Is that a pity party or what? I know the work it is going to take to get to my goal is an amazing amount of self control, motivation, and perseverance! Pat is strong when I want to be weak and though we talk about eating bad food we are working on making the smarter choice, though I have to admit, lunch today was not a healthy choice (Mexican food) and after we ate I felt over full and it was not actually worth the extra fat and calories! So, now I am definitely working out a little extra for that choice! I know we are not supposed to deny ourselves things we like, but I think my tastes are changing... I would prefer to eat a huge salad instead of a high fat meal. I know I have not lost a lot of weight but my clothes are fitting MUCH better. So, even though the scale does not say I am lighter my clothes tell me that I must be doing something right!  I was completely bummed that the pink team had to go home, but have to say they looked FABULOUS!!! I am not sure I agree with throwing a weigh in but in the end it is all a game, right? Someone has to win that money, right? I am at a loss at who I am going to root for now, I am sure by the end of the next show I will have a team chosen. I am rooting for the PINK team to win the second prize at the finale, which I would love to attend but since Pat and I are not web designers, it may just be a fantasy... but a good one to have, a good motivator to continue on the weight loss journey (just in case). Well, I was thinking it does not matter if we win or lose because in the end we are winners even if we are not Biggest Losers! I think this contest is long enough to get some good habits formed, make life changes not just short term changes. I am going to continue to blog even after the contest is done, if for nothing else to hear myself think and type, LOL Well, I have some work to do and a workout to get done with... I will try to be more diligent in blogging... let anyone who reads this know the ups and downs of not just the scale (which changes daily! Pat has banned me from daily weight checks) but of my habits, good and bad! On a side note, Pat is doing REALLY well, he is working out even when he is sick! I don't know if he will workout today, he is really not feeling very well... but he always feels like good or bad he should at least try. My feelings on this are if you are sick, let your body heal and then worry about the workout! Perhaps this is why I have failed at the weight loss game, no?January 24 personel thoughts01/24/08 I wonder if when we all lose all this weight and learn how to eat healthy what McDonald's will do hmmmmmmm
01/26/08 I wish with all my little chubby heart that Bob would come up with a krispy kream diet..........
January 23 WORKOUTS01/23/08
Vangie 60 min. cardio in the am. Pat 60 min cardio am shoulder and 30 min cardio in the pm
01/24
vangie's off day. Pat 34 min cardio with heavy bag workout. and hour and half of basketball (god I'm old) and arms
01/25
Vangie 60 min cardio in the pm. Pat 1:10 cardio and abs
01/26
vangie did 60 min cardio. Pat did 20 min cardio some heavy bag work then 40 min cardio
1/28
Vangie did 40 mins of cardio, level 7
1/29
Vangie did 60 mins of cardio, level 7
1/30
Vangie was lazy and tired and did nothing after her night class but go to sleep.
1/31
Vangie did 60 mins of cardio, level 7
2/1
Vangie did 70 mins of cardio, level 7
January 18 My anchor....WOW, what a compliment from my wonderful husband. He is amazing in himself. We have been married for 6 years, he has helped me raise three children, taken them as his own when he adopted them shortly after we were married. He gives of himself to make me happy and puts up with my multiple moods, LOL. He works long hours on a train and then gets to his away from home terminal and works out, sleeps for a little bit and then gets up and works out again. He gets back on his train and comes home to do the same thing here! There have been times when I was extremely jealous of his motivation. With this challenge we have joined I have noticed that my motivation is right on track. I may say I don't want to workout but in the end I get it done. I can only be accountable to myself and Pat, we are a team. Pat is my rock, without his guidance I can tell you I would not be able to get on my elliptical or do the strength training he puts me through. So, in essence, he is my Rock, the one I can't wait to see every morning.
 He is my soulmate the love of my life.... you all get the picture.Well, today was a good day! Day number 5 of consecutive workouts, all days consisted of cardio and two of the days strength training. I have been pretty proud of how we are doing. We may not win the challenge to go to the Finale, our website building ability seems to be lacking when we look at other sites. But in the end we intend to continue this lifestyle. I am so glad it is Friday.... Another week of healthier eating and feeling really good about how we are progressing. Tonight we made some ff/sf butterscotch pudding....that is our treat. I can honestly say I am not hungry so I will not be partaking..... maybe tomorrow  Oh, before I forget our youngest is going to be 15 on Monday... we are celebrating tomorrow.... we gave him the choice what he wants to eat, he wants burgers, hotdogs, tatertots, chocolate peanutbutter cake, and vanilla ice cream. OH MY!!! So here is the plan for Pat and I. We got extra lean ground sirloin and some extra lean ground turkey breast to make the burgers and whole wheat heart healthy buns, lettuce tomatoe and all the fixins. Hot dogs and buns and tatertots. The cake is a homemade cake and from experience I can tell you it is YUMMY!and not exactly the healthiest thing; butter, sour cream, sugar... you get the picture!!!!!! So, we have tried to lighten it as much as we can and we bought no sugar ice cream. Both Pat and I are in agreement that if we keep our bad carb intake (bread and tater tots) down then we can have a small piece of cake and a scoop of ice cream to help celebrate. I think we have a good plan, I will let you know how well we did tomorrow. Well, it is off to finish the movie with the "boys." Talk to ya tomorrow! VangieMy WifeI am so proud of my wife she works and goes to school online so she is so very busy, yet since we started to match up she has worked in workouts and has not complained (well much). She is doing really well nine hours work, three hours at class and an hour of cardio that to me is amazing. I have been working out for better than 13 years at weight training and on N 0ff cardio (guess I should have tried working on my diet lol) and is still have a tough time keeping up with her. So it doesn't matter to me who wins because I have discovered my new HERO, my wife. January 17 Talking about Biggest Loser Million Pound Match-up
Quote Well we are like three weeks in and I have only lost eight pounds. It looks so much easier on T.V. Of course if we all have trainers it would be easier any way I started at 282 and now weigh 274 so i would probley fall below the yellow line. Biggest Loser Million Pound Match-up My how time flies!!!!I have been so busy this week. Between my online class that I am taking to finish my degree I also signed up for a class at the local community college two nights a week 3 hours per night. For most, or at least some, this would not be a problem. Add some additional stressors... full time job, exercising, eating "right," boys basketball games, and sleeping sometime, it can get a little frustrating trying to complete all tasks in the day, LOL. Well, on this path that we have chosen to take I have learned that I need to prioritize my time better on the two nights I have class. So, here is the rundown. I wake up, get ready for work, at work during my lunch break I go to my online class (30 minutes), after work I go home... quick bite to eat (no fast food stops for me) Since Pat has been on vacation he has been a Godsend!!!! He has supper done, I sit down eat something, pretty much get my coat back on and it is off to class. Sit in class thinking, more like obssessing, about what I have to do when I get home, work out. So I get home, change into my workoutgear, head downstairs to hop on the elliptical for 45-60 mins. I am really trying hard to do at least 60 mins of cardio per day. Then I get done with that and head to bed. On my "off' days, from my local class I have a less intensive schedule but still a busy one! I have to say my motivation is still there just as are my cravings for some horribly fattening high fat food. Everytime I think about just going and getting something at the drive thru I reconsider. I am so happy with the changes in our habits thus far. We plan for dessert, we try to make healthier choices when it comes to going out to eat. Which we do not do as often as we did. I can honestly say that I have done very well, eating better. I pack veggies in my lunch and have started taking a snack for morning and afternoon. My afternoon snack has been working well in my schedule! I usually eat some cottage cheese and no sugar added fruit, it is filling and staves off the munchies I have when I don't do it, LOL  Pat and I really have not found any new recipes but the other night we had some meatloaf made with low fat ground turkey.... it was delicious. In fact that was Tuesday night.... Did you all get to see the Biggest Loser? It was sooooooo goood! An emotional rollercoaster for Ali and her mom Betty Sue (LET"S GO PINK!!!!) but it seemed to me the entire episode was emotionally charged. I do wonder what the next surprise is for the contestants is going to be. I am also glad the purple team is still there!!!! Well, I did weigh again on Wednesday.... down to 250.2.... so, that is 5.8 pounds.....since I go to Weight Watchers on Saturday... hoping for more to be gone, I will update again on Saturday. I am also going to spend some time customizing our page, I have been lurking on others and they are sooooo coool!!!! So, I will have to add that to the list of duties for this weekend! Talk to ya all soon!January 13 Are you sure I can't eat that LARGE piece of chocolate cake?Oh MY Goodness.... How sinfully good it would be to just go out to have a HUGE dessert! At one point in time this would be a no brainer, go out eat the darn thing and enjoy it, worry about the ramifications later skip a few meals and that will make up for it, LOL
 ! Now, I stop and think about the ramifications of my poor eating habits! Granted I am still in a learning curve. I think how wonderful it would be to eat from fast food or something sweet and fattening but then I come to my senses and realize this is exactly how I became a yo-yo dieter and obese. I also think about how much it could possibly set me back. I jumped on the scale yesterday morning to find that to a certain degree all my hard work is paying off. I was down another 2.8 pounds for the grand total of 4.8 pounds. Of course, my regular weigh in is on Wednesday morning but I had to at least peek to see how I was doing. Sometimes I think what I do is not enough. The scale is telling me differently. I feel good about the loss and I feel good we are not destroying all of our hard work for the high fat foods. Now, don't get me wrong, I still want to have the quick meal, at some quick food place however I know they can not match what wonderful cooks my husband and I are!!! I was telling Pat how once I am done with cardio I always feel like I can do more, though during the 60 minutes of cardio I feel as if my feet might just fall off for the good of all. LOL. I am amazed at my motivation, I have a new class starting on Monday and Wednesday night from 6-9 pm... yes, that is the time I work out and to homework for my online class, LOL. I am so nervous about not being able to fit a workout in. I think I have figured out that I can do 30 minutes of cardio in the morning, if not more and then finish up later in the evening. Another concern is how am I going to eat????? I think this is why they invented crockpots, LOL, that or there is a Subway close to work, I can stop and get a salad if I am running late to class. Pat and I have re-discovered Subway.... it is the safest place for us to get something really yummy, satisfying, and not blow all the hard work not to mention our motivation. Realizing you have an entire small person to lose to be healthy puts perspective on your life, if you let it. My resolve since the start of this challenge has been pretty good. My faith in myself, at this point, is pretty strong with completing the challenge and continuing to work toward my goal after the challenge is done. On a different note, we have invited many people to be our friends for support, but no one has accepted our invitation, LOL, we both find that funny. Oh well, we have a support system with our kids and each other. In the end, the only person who is responsible for our weight loss is us. We will just have to live vicariously through those who have joined the challenge and we don't know and through The Biggest Loser Series!!! LET'S GO PAT AND VANGIE.... WE CAN DO IT!!!! Well, to any lurkers out there...feel free to post, we'd love to hear from ya!
Vangie January 09 Vacation: We have had worse!I have to laugh at the post Pat made. Yes, vacation is bad, generally speaking, being out of our comfort zone and relying on others cooking for us or going out to eat can make it extremely difficult to make "healthier" choices. I was actually pretty pleased with our 5 days out of town. We had made a plan prior to leaving home. While we were gone we would make sure to make it to the Rec center (similar to a YMCA) to get our workout in. Since we were going to be gone over the weekend that meant we would make sure to workout the day we left (which I did, Pat had to work), Saturday, take Sunday off and then again on Monday. We were as careful as we could be with eating. My mother is a HUGE fan of lard and butter, yes, LARD AND BUTTER! That alone is a factor we would have to contend with! But overall, we did really well on Saturday. We ate breakfast, worked out for about 1 1/2; 30 minutes of cardio and then about an hour if not more on weights :o) We did not get lunch as we had a late breakfast, we went to the store and purchased some Rotisserie chicken, a wild rice/cranberry stuffing, some twice baked potatoes and a veggie tray for supper. We were very careful with the potatoes and split one between my mom, and us. It was a good meal, and we thought it was a better choice than the local taco place (which we love) or a fast food place. We were doing REALLY well... we were invited that night to my niece's 17th birthday party where, you guessed it, there would be EVERY dessert she loves! Cookies, cake, cheesecake, FRESH fruit, fruit dip and turtle brownies.... talk about temptation! I was happy with both Pat and I! I had some fruit, only, though my loving brother brought me down the WONDERFUL smelling chocolate cake. Pat had a piece of cake... said it was really good... then as the night went on I broke down and got half of a cookie and a took one bit of the brownie..... I am famous for making myself feel really guilty... but in all honesty, I felt pretty good that I did not pig out and eat cookies, a couple of pieces of cake, a few brownies, drink a few sodas and so on. Well, Sunday came, it was our day off from the gym, but Pat being the type of person he is decided to go to the gym to work out. We had planned on cooking supper for the family.... all 20 of them... I would have to say our eating habits are changing slowly but surely. We had been good all week... this was one meal we would enjoy but not really overdo it. We did taste everything on the menu, some healthy choices some not, but all in all it was a good meal! Afterwards we went over to my niece and nephew's house and played poker, drank a few drinks, and had a piece of pizza.... oh oh.... we really blew it!! What were we thinking? Apparently we were not thinking, you can blame the alcohol, but again, that is just an excuse!!!! Well, live and learn, we did ok on Monday...Pat did go work out, but I was tired and you know how you tend to latch onto that as an excuse so I stayed at my mom's and visited. On Tuesday we headed back home, what I can now call our Sanctuary, we were so glad to be home. I was still tired so I took a LONG nap. when Biggest Loser came on both my youngest and my husband were there waking me up to see if I wanted to watch the program of course I used the I am tired and not feeling good excuse... but after I thought about it I got up, put on my workout gear and went down to elliptical for 45 mins! Good thing we DVR the show so I could watch! I was amazed at how little everyone actually lost but this helped me realize there will be good weeks and bad weeks..... if it could only be so easy as to make up your mind to lose weight and it come off quickly :o) When things seem like an uphill battle, they generally are.... but as humans we tend to make those mountains out of mole hills.... that is so cliche-ish... but when you come to think of it... how true it is. So, in closing, my two pound weight loss is WONDERFUL!!!! It was not a gain and I did not stay even! I am now down to 254 and am acutally excited to get home and workout! Today is cardio and strength training!!!! Full steam ahead for the next week!!!!! Wish us luck!!!! :o) Oh, and by the way, Pat may beat himself up for how he ate this weekend but I am really proud he is doing as well as he is and being as supportive of this endeavor! There have been times when I have called him "Bob" when we are working out, he can be such a task master!!!!! I am sure before all is said and done I will call him "Jillian" too, LOL January 08 hmmmm vacations is bad badI really hate vacation I worked my butt off and still didn't lose much January 02 Biggest Loser Million Pound Match-upPat and I have decided to get fit and healthy once and for all!!! We are your typical yo-yo dieters. We do really well eating healthy and exercising and then we get to a point where we start to "cheat." Then we get lazy and don’t make it a priority to exercise and choose healthier options. We plan on being cheerleaders for each other but will also ask our family and friends to help us out by motivating us! We feel that prioritizing is essential to our success and making lifestyle changes. Meal planning and daily activity is essential to our success. We can have family time at the YMCA instead of in front of the TV, eating take out, and watching a movie. This is not something we can do and then go back to our "old" ways. Both of us have wanted to try out for the Biggest Loser, but were not able to take that amount of time off from work, so this is our next best option. Our health is important to us as we want to be able to enjoy our "golden" years when we get there! Our children are another motivation, we are constantly telling them not to get out of shape and gain weight but we want to be good role models for our teenagers! We feel we should win this contest because we are willing to go the extra mile! We are done being unhealthy! It is easy to say these things but I am certain those reading will be able to understand and see the work it takes to change the way a family changes to live healthier! This, honestly, is something we both want and are committed to accomplishing our goal to live a better life in 2008 and beyond!
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